05-31-17
It always looks like this on Wednesday but gamers will need to keep one eye on the forecast as the week continues.
Yahoo! Fantasy Golf
DEAN & DELUCA: 176
Spring Points: 1,249
Spring Rank: 2,528
Winter Points: 1,768
Winter Rank: 2,587
Season Points: 3,017
Season Rank: 1,178
Last Time:
Group A wasn’t much to write home about but not having Kisner, he of little recent form, in Group B stung. It also stung that I left out Kuchar on Sunday and took a big fat 0 from Casey instead.
Ned gave you Kisner but he left Spieth and Rahm out. I gave you Spieth (four days) but the only reason the Spaniard got into my lineup was after eight points and a MC from Jason Dufner. Rahm is rewriting fantasy rules and the sooner you accept that, the better!
This Week:
Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.
Nothing else matters.
With four par fives on the card and playing just under 7,400 yards, it should be a week where everyone can get involved.
The list of winners shows big bombers, short/accurates and more recently, first-time winners.
Par-breakers, par five scoring and bogey avoidance will go a long way this week.
Group A
Starts remaining in parentheses
Dustin Johnson (5): He should be able to overpower this place and will be happy to have room off the tee to take a few rips.
Jason Day (9): Since I have nine starts, he makes sense here because I will burn him for bonus points if necessary. He also makes sense because if DJ is doing DJ stuff, he’ll play all four rounds.
SUPER SUBS
Weather and waves always factor in this game so I’ll look late Wednesday night to see if I need better balance.
Adam Scott is the first sub with his countryman a distant second.
Group B
Hideki Matsuyama (4): He closed with 31 at Sawgrass the last time we saw him and won his first Tour event here in 2014.
Matt Kuchar (7): Nobody has gone lower here since 2009.
Kevin Kisner (7): His win last week makes this an easy selection as he rated in the top five of too many categories to count.
Webb Simpson (10): Posted three low ones here last year before limping to the finish line. He should have won last week and if he putts it well again he should be in the hunt again this week.
SUPER SUBS
I won’t arguing using Spieth but I’m not with all four in the tank. He’ll go at Erin Hills, Royal Birkdale, WGC-Bridgestone and East Lake.
Sung Kang hasn’t set a course record in a couple months so if you’re trying to catch lightning in a bottle, start there.
Hudson Swafford opened with 29 on the front last year and shot 66.
Group C
Jon Rahm (3): Showed his class last week by pounding driver hole after hole at Colonial and almost winning. Add two more par fives per round this week and there’s no reason at all to leave him out.
Brooks Koepka (8): His short game gets the nod over Tony Finau for this spot but course historians will flock to Finau.
SUPER SUBS
I’ve often referred to Group C as the Rummage Sale of fantasy golf as there is something in here for any theory or style.
Pat Perez, Brian Harman, Tony Finau, Bud Cauley, Kevin Tway and ultimate course horse Stewart Cink are included in this week’s embarrassment of riches.
Keegan Bradley for those of you who need a ridiculous stretch.
“Ned says…”
Ned Brown returns to drop his knowledge in Yahoo! as he did here last year. Ned is a legend in the gaming world and has cleaned up in Yahoo while most of you were in diapers! He’ll share his thoughts and picks here when he wants!
@ESoxGolf
DEAN & DELUCA: 178
Spring Points: 1,259
Spring Rank: 2,000
Winter Points: 1,871
Winter Rank: 140
Season Points: 3,130
Season Rank: 99
“Ned says…
I had the winner but didn’t really move up the leaderboard, because I faded the two second place finishers.
John Rahm had that horrible third round of 82 at THE PLAYERS and missed the second cut, so I figured this might be a good time to save a start on him. WRONG! He looked great and unless he has an injury we all will most likely use all ten starts in Yahoo! this year.
The other fade was Jordan Spieth, who had missed the cut in his two prior starts. He has such a strong record at Colonial that I had him on the bench with only three starts left on the year. On Saturday evening he was five-strokes off the lead and really needed Webb Simpson to collapse on Sunday to contend. I decided to save the start on him and of course Simpson spit the bit and Spieth put on his Superman cape and looked the best he has in months..”
Group A
Dustin Johnson (3) — If you are in the top 100 right now odds are you are low on starts with DJ. His last two finishes are a T-12 at THE PLAYERS and T-13 at the Byron Nelson so he is in a mini-slump after his Tiger-like run. After being burnt last week by John Rahm I’m going to try to hide DJ on my bench. Odds are he is going to force me to use him.
Adam Scott (7) — Based on the way they looked last time out a lot of players will take Jason Day in this spot. I wanted to but Day just doesn’t have the track record here. Adam Scott is a little safer pick coming off a T-6 at THE PLAYERS and his track record here is solid with three top 10s in nine career starts.
SUPER SUBS
Patrick Reed, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler
Group B
Jordan Spieth (3) — He played well last week on a course that he has a strong history. I was really impressed by his final round of 65 where he charged up the leaderboard and finished in a tie for second place. He did finish in a tie for third place here in ’15. I’m down to three starts on the year with Spieth so like DJ, I’m going to stash him on my bench. But if he plays like he did on Sunday, he’ll force me to use him.
Hideki Matsuyama (6) — Was the hottest golfer on the planet at the end of ’16 through the start of ’17 and picked up a championship at the WMPO. He cooled off after that, but has played well in the big tournaments with a T-11 at the Masters and a T-22 at THE PLAYERS. His record at the Memorial is strong with a championship in ’14 and a T-5 in ’15.
Kevin Kisner (6) — Kisner came through for me big time last week in fantasy by winning at Colonial. He did miss the cut here last year but the year before that he tied for eighth place.
Matt Kuchar (5) — Due to forgetting to switch Paul Casey into my lineup, I had to ride Matt Kuchar a lot last week. He had your typical Kuchar week where he played well and finished on the second page of the leaderboard with a T-12. He did have a T-4 last year at the Memorial and I’m hoping he plays well again so I can avoid having to use Spieth.
SUPER SUBS
Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson
Group C
Jon Rahm (4) — Faded Rahm after his poor third round at THE PLAYERS and paid the price as he rebounded last week with a tie for second place at Colonial. Rahm is up to ninth in the world at this point and he playing all of these courses on the TOUR for the first time. What is going to happen in future years when he really knows the greens? Again, I’m going to try to save a start with him, but with four starts, it’s not as critical as with DJ and Spieth.
Tony Finau (10) — Odds are everyone will use all ten starts with Rahm this season. The good news is there are so many other players in Group C that we will never run out of good choices unlike Group B. Tony Finau has notched a couple of top 5s this season and his recent record at Muirfield Village is good with a T8 in ’15 and a T11 last year.
SUPER SUBS
Brooks Koepka, Billy Horschel, Keegan Bradley, J.B. Holmes
FORE!
Shoot any questions and follow along at @MikeGlasscott and mikeglasscott.com to stay in tune.
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